Nagoya de Atsumarou! - Let’s get together in Nagoya!

21 July 2010 | News story

Jane Smart, Director of the Biodiversity Conservation Group and IUCN Head of Delegation for the Convention on Biological Diversity’s tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CBD COP10) Nagoya, Japan, 18-29 October 2010, tells us how IUCN is gearing up for this crucial event.

What are IUCN’s objectives for the CBD COP10 in Nagoya?
IUCN aims to contribute to the development and implementation of the Convention to maximise its impact for biodiversity conservation at international and national levels. This is mainly done through the provision of support and advice to national delegations and to the Secretariat of the Convention (SCBD).

In addition, we will use the Convention to deliver and showcase IUCN’s Programme and work, and to position IUCN as a source of expertise and knowledge in implementing the biodiversity agenda. The event will provide us with a good opportunity to support and strengthen relations with IUCN Members, Commissions and partners present in Nagoya.

Finally, we hope that the CBD COP10 will provide a useful basis to identify future opportunities for the Union’s work within the context of the Convention and the broader biodiversity agenda.

Which areas will IUCN be following closely?
IUCN will follow priority areas for the Union’s work: The Post 2010 Strategic Plan, biodiversity target for 2020 and indicators are a priority issue, as well as protected areas, marine and coastal biodiversity and the financial mechanism.

The delegation will also closely monitor: the international regime on access and benefit-sharing; the sustainable use of biodiversity; cooperation with other conventions and international organizations and initiatives, the engagement of stakeholders, including business and biodiversity, cities and biodiversity, and South/South cooperation; the strategy for resource mobilization; incentive measures; biodiversity and climate change; the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation; biofuels and biodiversity; invasive alien species; mountain biodiversity and inland waters biodiversity.

Where will Members be able to locate representatives from the IUCN delegation at CBD COP10?
We will have an IUCN stand, jointly organised with the IUCN Japan National Committee, where we will profile our work and policy documents. We hope to also offer opportunities to Members present to showcase some of their latest products. The stand will be staffed at different times by representatives of IUCN, including from various Programme Units, Constituency Support, Business and Biodiversity, etc. Members will be able to meet with representatives of the delegation here to access more information.

Where can Members find more information on IUCN’s work for CBD?
The IUCN website will act as a one-stop shop for all of the position papers, news and information. The home page (www.iucn.org) as well as the dedicated pages for the convention (www.iucn.org/cbd) will be updated regularly as we get closer to the meeting.

During CBD COP10 there will be a daily blog to share key news and perspectives. Outcomes of the meeting will also be posted on the website.

What documentation will be available in advance of the event?IUCN will prepare position or information papers with policy recommendations to the Parties of the Convention on a wide range of issues, including: the revised strategic plan post-2010, protected areas, marine and coastal biodiversity, sustainable use, access and benefit sharing, engagement of the private sector, Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem services (IPBES), gender mainstreaming and the Satoyama initiative : http://www.cbd.int/sustainable/doc/satoyama-initiative-brochure-en.pdf).

Furthermore, documentation will also be produced on: biodiversity and climate change, the strategy for resource mobilization, the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, agriculture and biofuels, invasive alien species, incentive measures, inland waters and mountain biodiversity.

Recommendations on cross cutting issues will be included in several sections, for example for issues related to social policy, governance, biocultural diversity, livelihoods, traditional knowledge, gender mainstreaming, etc.

What feedback would you like from Members in advance of COP 10?
It would be very helpful to know if IUCN Members will participate in Nagoya as part of their national delegation. If this is the case, please contact Josephine Langley (josephine.langley@iucn.org).

Let me take this opportunity to thank Members for their inputs to the IUCN decision-making processes and draft position papers to date. The final versions will now be produced ahead of the meeting, in English, French and Spanish.

Will there be opportunities for IUCN Members to meet and network in Nagoya?
Yes! There will be a Constituency event held to provide opportunities for networking and discussions between Members, Commission members, Councillors, Secretariat staff and some selected key partners. At present, the event is tabled for Monday 25th October in the evening. This will be hosted by IUCN together with the IUCN National Committee of Japan. More information and a final confirmation of the details will follow via email to IUCN Member contact persons and also on the website.

In addition, there will be a number of side events organized or co-organized by IUCN. These will be shortly listed on the IUCN website and should include:

A New Vision for Biodiversity Conservation - IUCN's position on the post-2010 Strategic Plan of the CBD and its Vision, Mission and Targets.

Protected Areas - Maintaining their values and functions: the role of CBD/POWPA.

Protected Areas and the Law.

Gender mainstreaming

Regional Programme for the conservation of the West Africa coastal and marine areas

EU overseas Territories biodiversity

Integrating Biodiversity management into the building materials sector.